


A Shake of the Head

by stan_of_many



Category: White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kramer is a horrible person, Missing Scene, Neal forced to run, Season 3 is easily the second worst season finale of the show, Sweet, White Collar season 3 spoilers, season finale as in not the show finale, worst as in most painful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28857471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stan_of_many/pseuds/stan_of_many
Summary: “A shake of the head. A simple shake of the head was all it took to sever the most important person besides Elizabeth from Peter’s life. Just a slight shake of his head as he made eye contact, standing slightly above the sadistic Kramer, and like a bird finally freed from its cage, Neal was gone in the wind. But Peter didn’t regret it.”If Peter and Neal had gotten a chance to say goodbye before Neal runs at the end of Season 3
Relationships: Peter Burke & Neal Caffrey
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	A Shake of the Head

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a friend who just finished season 3 and needed a scene like this and I got inspired and wrote it in like an hour. I hope you like it L! 
> 
> I almost feel like this sort-of-could-have-maybe been possible so I’m tagging it as a missing scene instead of an au. 
> 
> I wish it wasn’t so short but the meeting would have been short anyway so there’s not much to do about it and the muse is a very stubborn mistress.

A shake of the head. Peter would think about it later, how simple the action was. Just a slight shake of the head was all it took to sever the most important person besides Elizabeth from Peter’s life. Just a shake of his head as he made eye contact, standing slightly above the sadistic Kramer as Neal walked innocently toward the trap, just a shake of his head and like a bird finally freed from its cage, Neal was gone in the wind. But Peter didn’t regret it.

***

Peter’s hands were trembling slightly with adrenaline as he turned his back on Kramer and stepped into the building. He headed immediately to the bathroom, breathing a sigh of relief as it was empty with the stall door hanging slightly open. 

Five minutes. He would give himself five minutes to put himself back together, to pretend that he hadn’t just done something he would never have dreamed of doing before. To pretend that he hadn’t just set Neal Caffrey free. 

Peter carefully controlled his breathing and thought through the next half hour. He would go out there, perfectly serene, and give the speech he had been planning on giving all day to the board. He would tell them that Neal should be set free, and would be interrupted with the news that Neal’s anklet had been cut. 

He spun around as he heard a creak from the stall door—and there stood Neal, disheveled from apparently climbing into the building through the window and hiding in the stall; he had been waiting for Peter. 

Peter stood frozen for a moment in shock but Neal wasted no time crossing to the agent and nestling into his arms. 

“I was hoping you’d come in here.” The words were muffled as the CI’s face pressed into his friend’s shoulder. Peter’s mind only took a second longer to catch up and he wrapped his arms tightly around the young man. 

“Neal...” 

They stood for a long moment before they broke apart, Peter grabbing Neal’s shoulders and pushing him at arms length, “Neal, you need to go.” Neal’s gaze dropped and Peter’s voice grew urgent, “Kramer—“ 

“I know.” Neal’s voice was low and he looked back up, “Peter, you know what I’m going to do?” 

“Yes.”

“And you know what it means? For us?”

“Yes.”

There was no joking about the horrible irony of the situation. Neal ducked his head and his breath caught in his throat. When he looked back up tears were running freely down his cheeks, 

“Thank you Peter for—everything—I—“ his voice broke and he couldn’t continue. Peter’s face twisted similarly at the words and he pulled the man back into his arms,

“I know, I know Neal. You don’t have to say it, I know.” He was silent for a moment as he held the young man, the criminal, who had somehow become his partner, his friend, and if Peter was honest, his family. 

Peter didn’t dare think of the future. He pushed away the thoughts of the empty desk, the empty loft, the empty spot at his and El’s dining table and on their couch, of the gigantic empty space that Neal would leave behind. No, at that moment, as Neal rested his head on Peter’s shoulder, as Peter held him tightly enough to feel the quietly shuddering sobs that trembled through him, he thought only of the man himself. “Thank  _ you _ Neal.” His words were muffled into Neal’s hair. 

They both knew the moment couldn’t last and broke apart at the same time, Neal already putting himself back together into a calm and cool exterior. He edged back toward the window,

“I have to go.” 

Peter nodded,

“Yes—go, quickly.” Neal raised the window and then looked back,

“I’ll never forget this Peter, I’ll never forget you.”

“This is not the last time.” Peter’s voice was low and horse, the same voice that had come from some dark inner place when El had been kidnapped. It was the side of Peter that came out only when those he most loved were taken away. “I swear to you Neal, this is not the last time. We are not done.”

Neal looked as if someone had ripped at his heartstrings,

“Yes, it is Peter, yes, we are.” The words were whispered,  _don’t give me hope_ they said, but Peter shook his head vehemently and then—to Neal’s shock, smiled. 

“I’ll find you Neal, I’ll find you again. You know I will, because I always do.” Neal’s face broke into a matching smile,

“I hope you do Peter. I’ll be looking every day.” He turned back to the window, climbed out, and jumped down; he was lost in the crowd of New York within seconds. 

Peter turned away and reached for the bathroom door, his allotted five minutes spent. He took a deep breath, and opened the door, heading purposefully to the hearing. 


End file.
